The minimally-invasive diagnosis and therapy of tachycardial arrhythmias is carried out in an electrophysiological laboratory in which an angiographic x-ray device, a device for recording an intracardial ECG (iECG), a mapping catheter and also the ablation catheter are available. The method itself is generally known in electroophysiology as radio-frequency ablation or RF ablation. The method for measuring the electrophysiological potentials in the heart for determination of the correct ablation location with the mapping catheter in each case is referred to as mapping.
A method and a device are known from U.S. Pat. No. 6,556,695 B1 for supporting diagnosis and RF ablation as well as mapping, providing the user with better navigation during the actual ablation procedure. In the method 3D images of the heart are created before the beginning of the procedure using a 3D imaging modality, especially a computer tomograph or a magnetic resonance tomograph. These 3D images are registered with the coordinate system of the mapping catheter, so that the 3D images can be shown overlaid together with the mapping data. While the procedure is being carried out 2D images are additionally recorded with an intracardial ultrasound catheter which are also overlaid onto the displayed image data, to give the medical user updated information for orientation and navigation during the procedure. The application of this technology however requires 3D images to be recorded in another station before the procedure, since a computer tomograph or a magnetic resonance tomograph are generally not available in an electrophysiological laboratory. This means a greater outlay in time for patient and hospital staff.
A further problem in carrying out and monitoring minimally-invasive interventions lies in the fact that, when an x-ray device is used as an imaging system, only a restricted access to the patient is possible. The most unrestricted access possible is however precisely what is required with minimally-invasive interventions within the framework of an electrophysiological therapy.